Preparation of therapeutic-laden konjac hydrogel for tumor combination therapy

Featured with three-dimensional network structure, polymer hydrogels have found tremendous applications in biomedical fields. In this study, therapeutic-laden Konjac glucomannan (KGM) hydrogel was prepared by injecting polydopamine (PDA)/5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/calcium folinate (CF)/KGM alkaline solution to the target area, for the synergistic tumor photothermal and chemotherapy. In alkaline solution, dopamine can be synchronously polymerized to form PDA, while KGM can be hydrolyzed and transformed into a thermally irreversible KGM hydrogel. Besides, the alkaline condition can increase the solubility of 5-FU. The hydrogel matrix can control the release of 5-FU and CF. PDA renders the composite hydrogel excellent tumor photothermal therapy ability. Moreover, CF can be used as a synergist to enhance the tumor chemotherapy efficiency of 5-FU. With convenient handling, excellent photothermal conversion ability and high biocompatibility, the multifunctional hydrogel system is anticipated to find a promising translational potential in clinical therapeutic applications.